Timperley masters tricky course to chalk up his sixth title

RICHARD Timperley decomated the field on Sunday to win the Scott Ellis Trophy for the sixth time.

The trial, organised by the Staffordshire Moorlands Motorcycle Club, was held at Buttyfold Farm in Upper Hulme in surprisingly good conditions.

The only storm to hit the farm on Sunday was Timperley, who is riding better than ever, as he beat the opposition to win the trpphy for the sixcth time.

He triumphed over Joe Collins, Steve Harris and Chris Pearson by an 18 mark margin over 15 sections which were ridden three times.

The awkward gulley at section two and the muddy climb at section 14 were all that separated him from a perfect score.

Welshman Mike Leddy won the Roly Capper Shield as the victor of the popular yellow route, but it was a very tight contest with only two marks separating the leading four riders.

Last year’s winner Greg Moor had to settle for third place after losing the tie breaker to Pete Ruscoe.

Rob Bunting was fourth, just one mark behind.

Section 11, with its slippery stream bed and muddy banks proved to be the mark stealer with only Pete Ruscoe going clean all day. Pete However, struggled a bit onu the awkward rocks at Section 14 where Mike went through clean.

The recently introduced white route for novice did turn out to be a little easy, with four riders tying for the win having a perfect score.

These were Roger Brown, Bill Brown, Keith Gardner and Jim Lawrence, in fatcx the first 10 riders were civered by only three marks.

Everyone seemed to enjoy these section and that’s perhaps down to the fact they were the right standard.

Thanks were expressed to the landowner Jeff Day, observers and club officials for their efforts.

Results. Expert route: 1 Richard Timperley (JST Gas Gas) 2 marks; 2 Joe Collins (Montesa) 20; 3 Steve Harris (Montesa) 20; Chris Pearson (Splat Em) 20; Tim Pearson (Splat Sherco) 22; Robert Weatherill (Beta) 32.

Yellow route: 1 Mike Leddy (Beta) 3; 2 Pete Ruscoe (TRRS) 4; 3 Greg Moor (Gas Gas) 4; Rob Bunting (Vertigo) 5; Stuart Walker (Montesa) 12; Richard Beddoes (Gas Gas) 14.

White route: Roger Brown (Scorpa) 0; Bill Brown (Fantic) 0; Keith Gardner (Triumph) 0; Jim Lawrebce (Honda) 0; Chris Brown (Scorpa) 1; Mark Harvey (Montesa) 1.